Sequester Causes Problems for Toxic Waste Cleanup

The Takeaway

An announcement by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee this week has nuclear energy watchdogs concerned: Six underground radioactive waste tanks at Washington’s Hanford Nuclear reservation are leaking. The tanks hold highly radioactive waste, produced over decades of plutonium production for nuclear weapons.
The government spends billions of dollars annually on cleanup efforts at the site.   
And now questions over whether the looming sequester will hamper clean up efforts have risen as the cuts in government spending are scheduled to go into effect across the country after today.
Anna King, Richland correspondent for the Northwest News Network, has toured the Hanford plant and says answers on how the government will handle the situation remain uncertain.

Are you with The World?

The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.